Here is something getting popular amongst the white population which may not have reached the Indians yet. But family physicians and surgeons need to be aware of this.

Team@CMHF

Women seeking genital surgery to reduce the size of their labia minora do not have large or misshapen labia, and also tend to be relatively young, a small U.K. study has found

Of the 33 women in the prospective study, published Aug. 24 in BJOG, 30 had labia with dimensions within the normal published limits, yet sought surgery anyway. The women’s average age was 23 years, although a quarter were 16 years or younger, with the youngest being 11 years old.

This points to the psychological or cultural appeal of cosmetic genital surgery among young women and girls, the study’s authors say, which may be influenced by grooming trends that expose the vulva – two-thirds of women in the study had removed their pubic hair – and by widespread advertising of the surgical procedures using before-and-after photos, which about one-third of subjects reported having consulted

Dr. Creighton and colleagues interviewed the women on their reasons for seeking surgery, and found that most (78%) were motivated by concerns about the appearance of their genitals. Although discomfort, such as that caused by rubbing or chafing, was reported by 57% of them, only 18% said that they thought surgery would help.

Dr. Creighton and colleagues interviewed the women on their reasons for seeking surgery, and found that most (78%) were motivated by concerns about the appearance of their genitals. Although discomfort, such as that caused by rubbing or chafing, was reported by 57% of them, only 18% said that they thought surgery would help.

Thus far, Dr. Creighton said, no lawsuit has challenged the legality of the procedure, which some NHS trusts offer on the grounds of alleviating psychological distress.

“There are no guidelines. The NHS is not publicly discussing it,” Dr. Creighton said, adding that professional surgical associations have not issued clear guidelines for treating women seeking labial surgery, leaving clinician discretion as the norm.

“National care standards are urgently needed,” Dr. Creighton and colleagues wrote in their analysis. The investigators also urged the publication of data on normal labial measurements “based on a large adult general population sample stratified according to age, ethnicity and parity.”

Ref: http://www.familypracticenews.com/news/more-top-news/single-view/young-women-seek-genital-surgery-for-appearance/61a6162cf8.html